CVE-2018-12482 in OCS Inventory
Summary
by MITRE
OCS Inventory 2.4.1 contains multiple SQL injections in the search engine. Authentication is needed in order to exploit the issues.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2020
The CVE-2018-12482 vulnerability affects OCS Inventory 2.4.1, a widely used open-source inventory management system that helps organizations track hardware and software assets across their networks. This vulnerability resides within the system's search engine functionality, which is a critical component for querying and retrieving inventory data. The flaw represents a significant security weakness that could allow attackers to manipulate database queries through malicious input, potentially leading to unauthorized data access or system compromise. The vulnerability requires authentication to exploit, meaning that an attacker would need valid credentials to attempt the attack, but this does not mitigate the severity of the issue.
The technical implementation of this SQL injection vulnerability occurs when the search engine processes user input without proper sanitization or parameterization. Attackers can craft malicious payloads that get executed as part of database queries, allowing them to extract sensitive information from the underlying database, modify existing records, or even execute administrative commands. The vulnerability specifically targets the search functionality, which is frequently used by system administrators and IT personnel to locate specific inventory items, making it a prime target for exploitation. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-89, which describes SQL injection flaws that occur when user input is improperly filtered before being used in database queries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, as it can enable attackers to gain deeper insights into an organization's IT infrastructure. An attacker with access to the search engine functionality could potentially discover sensitive information about network assets, software licenses, and system configurations that would otherwise remain confidential. The vulnerability also poses risks to data integrity, as malicious actors could manipulate inventory records to hide or alter critical information. Additionally, the presence of such a vulnerability may facilitate further attacks within the network, as attackers could use the compromised system as a foothold to move laterally. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability aligns with T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1566 for credential harvesting, as the attack requires authentication but could lead to privilege escalation.
Organizations utilizing OCS Inventory 2.4.1 should prioritize immediate remediation through official security patches provided by the software vendor. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to a patched version that implements proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent SQL injection attacks. System administrators should also implement additional security controls such as database query monitoring, access logging, and network segmentation to limit the potential impact of any successful exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues within the inventory management system or related components. The vulnerability underscores the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in database-driven applications, particularly those handling sensitive organizational data. Organizations should also review their access control policies to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to the search functionality, thereby reducing the attack surface for this type of vulnerability.